Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1887-11-25
THE EARL OF DERBY.
An Engiish Nobioman's Vast Possessions
aud Thousands OF Tenants.

Il
aud Thousands of Tenants.
As soon as we had cleared the skirts
Of the town-or city of 10000 people II
you profer---my friend, pointing to the
land on eithor side of the highway. re-
marked that 1t belonged to tho Earl OF
Derby, who owned the earth in every di-
rection far beyond our destination.
Passing by way-side cottages through
this fair and fertile stretch Of dark,
loamy soil, lovel or gently undulating.
we frequently came upon fine farms and
handsome houses.
"These, said, "must be freehold
the property of the occupant"
"By no moans," replied my compan-
ion. "All these beautiful fields are on
the royal domain of Lord Derby"
Then we drove through villages and
towns thickly set with houses and peo-
pie.
"Here the people have surely secured
foot-hold for themselves and chill
dren." suggested.
"Nino-tenths of it is Lord Dorby's.
Some of them have long leases, but
they pay an annual ground rent, etc.
Besides, Lord Derby owns big area in
Liverpool, densely populatcd; nearly
all of the land on which Bootle, n place
of 10000, is built; most of Prescott, n
town of $4,000. and much of Bolton
(where his ancestor was beheaded). q
city of 200, 900, besides many villages
and small towns"
"Then he must be one of the richest
men in the British empirep"
Yes, one of the three weaithiest
noblcmen, anyhow. the Duke of West
minister leading them all"
"And how many people has Lord
Derby on his different properties?"
20, l should say 100000 at least"
"And his annual income would bep"
"On rough estimate, and taking
into account the present low rate of
rentals, he must get f1,00O,000-
5000, ,O00."
"How much land has hep"
"Without knowing any thing like
accurately, l should set him down for
100000 acres, and it is all valuable.
1t runs for twenty miles from where we
started, and it is half that wide at
many points"
"How did they acquire all this prince
ly estateP"
Heavens knows. They have held |
it since the Norman seizures, Ibelieve."
"And is this Earl of Derby descend
ant of the one beheaded ay Cromwell
and his Parliamentary government"
20, yes; the execution took place
over there at Bolton, few miles on |
our left, and the unfortunate Earl is |
buried in the old church at Ormskirk.
1t was the wife of this Earl who success
fully defended Latham House, which
Is only two or three miles out of |
0rmskirk, against Cromwell's forces.
She is, you know, one of the characters
in Pcreril of the Peak. Latham House
was then their English seat. She
afterward held Peel Castle in the Isle
of Man. of which the Derbys were the
kings" We now passed in sight of
"Knowesly" and its great park, the
present country seat of the Derbys. 1t
is splended place, though not on as
grand a scale us some of tho seats of
the nobility. The present Earl of Derby
married rather later in life the widow
of the elder Cecil. stepmother to the
Marquis of Salisbury, the incumbent
Prime Minister. The
Earl is said to have been in love with
her before her irstmarriage. and bidcd
his time as a bachelor. There are no
of this union, and the Derby
Earldom goes to the brother next of
age, Lord Henry Stanley. The Earl of
Derby's wife has some sons by her first
Cecil. One of these is de-
vout parson, and the other recently
married farmers daughter in the
od.-Cor Louisville Times.